As one of the first scientific institutions in Central Asia, a center known as “Majlisi Ulamo” was fully established in Gurganj in the year 1004, and it was later named the Ma’mun Academy. This academy made significant contributions not only to the fundamental sciences but also to the field of medicine. Renowned scholars and intellectuals of their time—Abu Nasr Mansur ibn Ali ibn Iraq al-Jadi, Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, Abu Ali ibn Sina (Avicenna), and Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Sahri—were among those who carried out their scientific work at the Academy.
Abu Rayhon Beruniy
Abu Ali ibn Sino
Muhammad as- Sahriy
According to historical records, the first state-regulated pharmacy was established in Baghdad in the year 754. In Uzbekistan, the first independent pharmacy was opened in the old part of the city in 1913. By 1917, there were 46 pharmacies across the country—29 operating in urban areas and 17 in rural regions. In 1922, a Pharmacy Department was established under the People’s Commissariat of Health in Tashkent. As a result of these developments, the number of pharmacies gradually increased in both cities and rural areas, leading to significant improvements in the supply of medicines and medical products to the population.
During this period, one of the most urgent and pressing challenges was the shortage of highly qualified and mid-level pharmaceutical professionals. Due to the lack of pharmacists in many regions, the number of paramedical staff was also insufficient, which hindered the effective functioning of pharmacies.
To address these problems, the foundations of medical and pharmaceutical education were laid in Uzbekistan during the 1920s, with the aim of training local specialists and ensuring the development of a sustainable healthcare and pharmaceutical system.
In the Republic of Uzbekistan, the course "Organization of Pharmaceutical Work" was first introduced in 1939 as part of the Tashkent Pharmaceutical Institute, under the name "Organization of Pharmaceutical Work and the History of Pharmacy."
Initially, this course was not part of an independent department. Until 1951, it operated within the Department of Forensic Chemistry, and from 1951 to 1957, it was incorporated into the Course of Medical Merchandising. In other words, until 1957, the course was housed within various departments.
The first independent Department of Organization and Economics of Pharmaceutical Work in the Republic of Uzbekistan was officially established in September 1958, marking a significant step in the development of pharmaceutical education in the country.
Erkin Rakhimovich Toshmukhamedov was appointed as the Head of the Department by Order No. 594, dated September 9, 1958, signed by the Rector of the Tashkent Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
Later, on December 12, 1960, E.R. Toshmukhamedov successfully defended his Candidate of Sciences dissertation at the Scientific Council of the Moscow Pharmaceutical Institute. His thesis, titled "Methods of Improving the Supply of Medicines to the Population of Uzbekistan," contributed significantly to the development of pharmaceutical logistics and policy in the republic.
In the early years following Uzbekistan’s independence, only two pharmaceutical enterprises were operational across the country. Approximately 20 medicinal products were developed in collaboration with local scientific research institutes.
However, a number of critical issues hindered the development of the pharmaceutical sector during this period. The lack of focus on pharmaceutical production, insufficient quality control mechanisms, underdeveloped export-import systems, limited scientific research, and the inadequate training of qualified personnel all significantly impacted the progress of the industry.
Moreover, insufficient attention was given to scientists working in the field, and minimal financial support was allocated for innovative ideas and research projects. As a result, modern pharmaceuticals were either not developed at all, or if developed, they were not introduced into industrial production due to infrastructural limitations.
Until recently, the country lacked the necessary infrastructure and certified laboratories capable of issuing internationally recognized quality certificates. Scientific research institutes within the pharmaceutical system also operated under similar constraints, further slowing innovation and growth in the field.
In 2018, one of the first academic departments under the Faculty of Pharmacy was established at Samarkand State Medical Institute, under the leadership of Professor Nurali Mamedovich Shavazi.
Later, in 2022, the Department of Organization of Pharmaceutical Work was formally established as an independent unit within the institute. Nigina Sobirjonovna Bozorova was appointed as the founding head of the department, bringing a new phase of growth and innovation to the field.
In 2025, as part of institutional restructuring and modernization efforts, the Faculty of Pharmacy was renamed the Faculty of Biotechnology, Engineering, and Pharmacy, reflecting the growing interdisciplinary nature of pharmaceutical education and research.
The department is primarily focused on the development and commercialization of affordable, locally sourced medicinal products to improve public access to essential medicines. In line with this mission, beginning in 2025, the department successfully initiated the production of seven biologically active substances, all of which were officially approved by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan and recommended for public use.
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